When a Bus Accident Wrecks Your Summer Vacation

A gentle breeze pours in through the window as your charter bus to Montauk cruises down Route 27. Daydreams of admiring the lighthouse with sand between your toes fill your head as the bus’s engine revs up. But then, without warning, the roar of the engine is overtaken by a loud BANG as the bus collides with another vehicle. A sudden bus accident has turned peaceful anticipation into chaos. In an instant you never saw coming, your life takes a dramatic turn. While this may sound like an excerpt from a novel, these scenes play out more often than you might think.

While Long Island is taking steps to improve road safety, it has yet to launch targeted initiatives to enhance bus safety, such as those in the NYCDOT Better Buses Action Plan. This lack of focused attention on bus safety makes it all the more important for individuals to be prepared. If you’re involved in a bus accident, understanding the common causes and consequences can help you take informed action from the start.

Understanding the Causes and Injuries Associated With Bus Accidents

You don’t have to be on a trip to the coast to experience a bus accident. In 2024, New York State saw the highest number of bus accidents resulting in injuries. This statistic highlights the ongoing risks that both residents and visitors face when relying on bus transportation. These risks can quickly escalate into serious accidents, which is why it is vital to understand how such incidents happen and the life-altering damage they can inflict.

Common Causes of Bus Accidents

Bus accidents can occur for various reasons, often due to driver error and vehicle malfunctions. Additional causes include:

• Driver fatigue: Drivers working long shifts without sufficient rest
• Distracted driving: Drivers using phones or GPS devices
• Mechanical failures: Poorly maintained buses with brake or tire issues
• Weather conditions: Heavy rain, snow, fog, or slippery roads
• Speeding and reckless driving: Drivers rushing to maintain tight schedules
• Poorly maintained roads: Potholes, construction zones, or inadequate signage

In Nassau and Suffolk Counties, public transit, school, charter, and tour buses operate daily, all of which may be involved in serious accidents. When these vehicles crash, the size and weight of the bus often cause serious harm to passengers and others involved.

Injuries Typically Sustained in a Bus Accident

Because buses often lack standard safety features, such as seatbelts, passengers are more susceptible to being thrown, jolted, or pinned during a crash. Common bus accident injuries include:

• Whiplash and neck injuries
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Lacerations and contusions
• Broken bones and joint injuries
• Emotional trauma, including PTSD

Many of these injuries require ongoing medical care, physical therapy, and time away from work or school to recover. Even injuries that appear minor at first may worsen over time without proper treatment.

Protecting Your Legal Rights After a Bus Accident

After a bus accident, advocating for yourself is pivotal to both your well-being and your personal injury case. Taking the following steps can help secure a successful outcome for your injury claim:

1. Seek immediate medical attention: Medical documentation provides necessary evidence linking your injuries directly to the accident.
2. Document the scene with photos: Visual evidence strengthens your claim and helps establish the conditions that led to the accident.
3. Collect contact details from witnesses: Witnesses provide valuable testimony and help validate your account of the accident.
4. File a police report: This official record can serve as crucial evidence in your claim.
5. Contact a bus accident attorney promptly: An experienced attorney will guide you through the legal process and help protect your rights from beginning to end.

Liability for a bus accident may fall on the driver, bus company, manufacturer, or a government agency, making the claims process complex. An experienced attorney can help you pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages by advocating for you and guiding you through each step of the process.

Trust Matera & Manley, LLP To Secure Your Future

While a bus accident may disrupt your plans, it doesn’t have to derail your future. If you were a victim of a bus accident, you don’t have to tackle the aftermath alone. Matera & Manley, LLP, is ready to help you understand your rights, build a robust case, and seek maximum compensation for your injuries.

Your future deserves experienced legal advocacy and a team that delivers results. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can support your recovery.